Blood Red Snow
by Silverfox588
Summary: Kyoto, Saito and Kenshin battle yet again in the bloody streets. After falling into the river, they must depend upon each other to survive the winter weather.
1. The River

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just using them.

Blood Red Snow

Chapter 1

_This story is set back in the Revolution when Kenshin and Saito are fighting in Kyoto. When Kenshin is beginning to regret being the Battousai._

_Saito's POV_

I watched Okita disappear and turned to face the Battousai. We had fought hours before in an empty field. My ribs ached from a kick that the Battousai had landed and I saw a bandage on the Battousai's right leg from where my sword had sliced open the skin but had done no other damage. The fight had lasted only a few minutes before the soldiers had arrived and forced us to stop the battle.

"You ready to die Battousai?" I asked drawing my sword. Across from me, the Battousai said nothing, just drew his sword. I moved first, feinting to the right before throwing a punch. The Battousai dodged the attack and jumped above me. He pushed himself off the wall of the nearest building and met my second attack head on.

I was forced back down the street as the attacks became more aggressive and we were soon on an old bridge overlooking the partially frozen river. Each attack made the bridge shake and groan; bits of wood fell into the water. I felt the Battousai's sword slide into my right side and I was pushed back against the side of the bridge. The rotted wood began to snap and I grabbed hold of the Battousai. The Battousai swung his sword sheath at my head; I caught the blow behind my left ear and when my body went slack, the wood gave way. We hit the icy water and were carried by the current downstream. When I hit the water the cold snapped me back into action. I saw the water around me turning red with my blood and tried to get out of the water by grabbing the ice. A large piece broke off and forced me into the center of the river.

The Battousai was behind me and he grabbed hold of the ice piece near my arm. The river ran straight for nearly a mile before curving and the current forced us against the shore. I dragged myself as far onto the bank as possible before collapsing. My side and head were throbbing with pain. The Battousai was already on his feet and staring at me. I saw my vision darkening and knew I couldn't stay awake much longer, so I stopped fighting it and gave into unconsciousness.

_Kenshin's POV_

My body ached from the cold and I knew that if I didn't find shelter that I was going to freeze to death. Looking around I saw a stand of trees that hadn't been destroyed by fire and started to walk towards them. I only made it a few feet before stopping to look back at the Wolf of Mibu. He was injured and would die out in the winter weather. I went back to him and looked at his face. He had a bruise starting where I had hit him and blood was staining the snow around his chest. I sighed and put one of his arms around my shoulder. He was heavy, but it wasn't very far to the trees.

As I dragged him in, I instantly felt a difference in the temperature. The trees made excellent cover and there was enough dry branches to start a large fire. I laid Saito down and saw that he had lost his sword in the river. His body was shaking and then I realized that mine was also. I began to get the wood ready and I see a movement out of the corner of my eye. Saito's eyes are open and staring at me. He growls when I step towards him but he makes no moves at all. Then I realized that he was still asleep and I continued my work.

After a few minutes the fire is burning nicely and I pulled off my wet clothes, leaving on my under clothes. The fire feels wonderful against my cold skin and I look over at Saito again. He was still bleeding and his breathing was becoming ragged. I stepped closer to him and put two of my fingers against his throat. The pulse was slow, but strong. I began to pull off his clothes as well and laid all of the clothes beside the fire to dry. I used part of his shirt to bandage the wound on his side and sat close to the fire. The heat seeped into my body and I fell asleep.

TBC….


	2. Traveling

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just using them.

Chapter 2

_Saito's POV_

I felt an intense heat beside me and I slowly opened my eyes. I was lying beside a fire and my side was bandaged. I rose slightly and saw the Battousai asleep across from me. He was gripping tightly to his sword and I looked around for mine. It was gone, probably at the bottom of the river. I reached for a piece of wood and the Battousai woke with barely a start. He watched me closely, but I just put the wood on the fire.

"So you're finally awake." He said quietly. "You've been unconscious for nearly four hours."

"Why did you pull me out of the river Battousai?" I asked sitting up carefully. The wound in my side was bleeding through what looked like part of my shirt. The Battousai remained silent.

I saw my clothes beside the fire and reached for them, but the effort of stretching tore open the wound even more and I winced. The Battousai leaned over and handed me my clothes. I swore under my breath and pulled on my shirt. It was still a little damp, but at least it wasn't frozen. The Battousai was pulling on his clothes as well.

"Why did you save me Battousai?" I ask again my voice deepening slightly. I was in no mood to be ignored.

"Why shouldn't I have saved you Saito?" He answered staring deep into the flickering flames. He glanced up at me and his eyes were a dark, calm purple instead of the striking gold I had come to know. This Battousai was calm and almost peaceful. He stared at me a moment longer and then back into the flames. I looked around the grove of trees we were in and heard the wind begin to pick up.

"We need to get to a safer shelter. There is a storm brewing out there Battousai." I said stiffly standing up. I limped to the edge of the trees and took in our surroundings. "There are caves not far from here; they would make a better shelter."

The Battousai said nothing when he stood; he just put out the fire and headed towards me. He studied my movements as I studied his. He was limping as well, but the damage was minor and he had a bruise forming along his neck; probably from when the bridge collapsed. I limped forward and he fell in slightly behind me.

_Kenshin's POV_

Saito walked to the east and didn't talk. It was strange, we were trying to kill each other not five hours ago and now we were both trying to stay alive. I rubbed my right knee as we walked; I had hit it on a rock trying not to drown in the river. Saito's question was bothering me. Why had I saved him? I close behind Saito because it had started to snow and it was getting hard to see.

"How much farther to the caves?" I asked before I sunk hip deep into a snow drift. I saw Saito turn to watch me and I glared as he smirked at me.

"Stuck?" He asked watching me struggled to stay upright. He moved forward quickly and grabbed me by the front of my shirt. Saito hauled me forward and out of the snow bank. He held me up so my feet weren't touching the ground for a moment and then put me on my feet. Saito turned and walked away before I could say a word.

I let out a curse and continued to follow him. As I walked, I watched the path and began to see blood red snow. Saito's wound was bleeding badly again and I knew if he didn't rest soon that he would die. Why was I suddenly so worried about my rival's health? He had been trying to kill me for years and I had been trying to kill him. Why were we helping each other?

'Why'd you save me?' Saito had asked. Why, I had no idea, but we were still alive because of it. I was so lost in thought that I ran right into Saito as he stopped.

"Watch where you're going Battousai. The caves are just ahead, but the pass getting to them is dangerous this time of year so pay attention" Saito ordered. The order was to keep us alive, but it still irritated me.

_Saito's POV_

I watched the Battousai's eyes change from purple to gold instantly and tensed for an attack. He didn't move; he just waited for me to continue to the caves. The wind howled through the pass and I stayed alert for the possibility of a rock slide. There had been one here not two weeks ago and it had killed one of my messengers. The Battousai's limp was getting worse and I felt weaker than before. I glanced down at the ground and saw my blood dripping onto the white snow. I saw the caves and entered the nearest one. It was big enough for the two of us and I saw the wood pile was still there.

"Start a fire if you can." I said sitting down against the nearest wall immediately. The Battousai ignored me and kneeled down in front of me. "I am fine Battousai."

"You're bleeding badly and I have to stop the bleeding if you are to live you stubborn wolf. Don't argue with me because you're in no position to win." He said in an angry voice. He reached forward to take off my shirt and I caught hold of his arm. He easily brushed away my hand and yanked at the fabric. I growled and I saw his fist flying towards me but could do nothing about it. I felt the punch and then nothing.

TBC….


	3. Wounds

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just using them.

Chapter three

_Kenshin's POV_

I caught Saito as he fell sideways and eased him down into a laying position. Idiot wolf, he should have said something before. I removed the bandage that I had put on earlier and probed the wound gently. The edges were ragged and swelling rapidly. I sighed and tore another piece of fabric from his shirt and placed it on the wound. The fabric was cold and it made Saito shiver slightly. Looking around I saw a wood pile and went to start the fire. Though the cave offered more protection than the stand of trees had, it was also colder.

The fire warmed the cave gradually and I pulled Saito away from the wall near the entrance. I looked around the rest of the cave slowly, not wanting to disturb any animals that were hiding farther back. I found a medicine box and some supplies as well. Saito was semiconscious and sitting up by the time I had dragged the medicine box back to the fire. The bandage was on the floor.

"Lay down you idiot." I snapped limping over to him. "You'll bleed to death if you keep moving around."

Saito didn't respond he just sat there staring at me. I went to him and shoved him back down roughly, getting a hiss of pain from the wolf. I opened the box and found a needle and thread in a smaller box. There was also a small pan for boiling water. I took the pan and got some snow from outside the cave. I set it in the coals and sat on Saito's left side. He reached out and grabbed my right hand and brought it to his mouth. He bit my arm hard and I jerked backwards. He smirked and closed his eyes.

"That was for hitting me." Saito said before passing out. I rubbed the sore spot and made sure that he didn't draw blood. There was a bruise in the shape of his teeth but nothing more.

Soon the water was boiling and I used some clean rags to wash Saito's wound. Then I worked on stitching the skin back together. It was rough work, but at least Saito would stop bleeding if he laid still for a day or so. I cleaned up the mess that I made and piled more wood on the fire before closing my eyes to sleep.

_Saito's POV_

I opened my eyes and regretted it almost immediately. I was dizzy and my side ached almost unbearably. I turned my head to see the Battousai sleeping not far away and remembered that he had punched me. Then I remembered the bite I had given him. I chuckled weakly and that woke the Battousai. He moved toward me and I smirked at him.

"What is so funny?" He asked glaring. I laughed harder and my side began to throb. The Battousai stared. "Stop laughing because if you tear those stitches I'll slit your throat."

I stopped laughing gradually and sighed. I hadn't laughed like that in a long time. The Battousai rolled his eyes and reached towards me. His fingers touched my forehead and remained there for a moment. I let out a pathetic growl and it was the Battousai's turn to laugh.

"Poor wolf pup. All bark and no bite today." He taunted before walking away from me. I felt my temper rising and the strength that came from it gave me just enough power to sit up on my own. The Battousai turned around. "LAY DOWN!"

I felt my strength drain away as fast as it had come and I lay back down on the cold floor. I glared at the Battousai as he checked the stitches and I grabbed onto his pants leg as he turned to walk away again.

"Why did you save me again Battousai?" I asked holding his gaze for a minute. He easily pulled away and didn't answer my question for a second time. He had found the supplies and he pulled out some hard tack to chew gnaw on. He tossed some to me and stared into the fire. "Answer me Battousai."

"Eat and rest wolf. Then I'll answer you."He said quietly turning to look at me. His eyes were purple again and for some odd reason they put me at ease. I ate and then went to sleep.

_Kenshin's POV _

I watched the wolf sleep and began to think about his question again. Why had I saved him? I knew I had an answer for him, but it eluded me yet again. So I finished my meal and bandaged my own wounds before falling asleep as well.

TBC…


	4. Rest

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just using them.

Chapter four

_Saito's POV_

I knew that the Battousai was asleep and I waited to open my eyes for a moment. My head wasn't hurting as bad as before, but my side burned. I carefully I sat up and reached for the nearest piece of wood; the fire had died down and it was cold again. The dry wood caught fire easily and I lay back down, feeling the stitches pull at the edges of the wound. I lifted the bandages and inspected the Battousai's handiwork. It was rough work, but it kept me from bleeding to death. The Battousai shifted in his sleep and then opened his eyes to stare at me. His eyes were back to gold.

"I told you if you tore those stitches I'd slit your throat. Don't get up again Wolf." The Battousai growled at me. I began to sit up slowly and he was at my side almost instantly. "You don't know how to follow orders do you? Your acting like an ahou you know that."

"I can't lay like that for that long Battousai." I growled back resisting his attempts to get me to lay back. He glared and then helped me to sit up against the heavy medicine box from the back of the cave. "You never answered my question from last night Battousai."

"That is because I don't have an answer for you Wolf. I don't know why I saved you." He answered resuming his position by the other side of the fire. I watched his eyes change to purple for a while and then back to gold. "Is there a town near here that we can get to? We cannot sit here for much longer."

I thought of the terrain again and shook my head, which made me dizzy again. The Battousai sighed and then stood up. I saw fresh blood stain his own bandages and reached backwards into the box.

"What are you doing?" He asked sharply. "If you tear those…"

"Yes I know. If I tear my stitches you'll slit my throat. But you have just torn your own stitches and they need to be redone, so come here and I'll stitch up your wounds." I snapped back. He looked like he was about to argue with me. "Now Battousai."

He frowned but came over to me and sat down where I could reach his wounds. I smirked; even Okita obeyed me when I used that tone of voice. I took a small blade and cut away the ragged stitches that the Battousai had done and started on my own.

_Kenshin's POV_

I winced as Saito cut out the stitches I had done and started with his own stitches. He was so annoying when he didn't listen but I had to admit, Saito's stitches were far better than mine. He probed the bottom of one cut and muttered under his breath. He reached back into the box and came out with a smaller blade than the one he had cut out the stitches with. He cut into my skin just below where he had stopped the stitches. I let out a hiss of pain as he pushed hard against the wound.

"What in the hell are you doing?" I asked as the pain spread from my abdomen to my spine. He had hit a very sensitive nerve. He ignored me and focused on my wound. "Wolf what in the hell are you doing?"

"Stop your complaining and stay still." He ordered as my body began to shake from pain. He grabbed one shoulder and forced me down. The pain lessened somewhat, but my body was still shaking. Saito ripped a piece of my shirt sleeve off and rolled it up. "Bite down on this. This is going to hurt like hell."

I did as Saito asked and the pain became excruciating. My vision became dark and I stopped fighting it. I passed out gratefully.

_Saito's POV_

I was grateful when the Battousai finally passed out. This was going to be hard enough without him shaking. I found the piece of metal again and began to ease it out of his flesh. It was the very tip of an arrow. The arrow head was jagged and it would have poisoned the Battousai within a few weeks if he had lived that long. I put the arrow head down and probed deeper into the wound to see if any of the shaft was left in as well. There was nothing else so I stitched up the wound.

I put a pad of bandages over the abdominal wound but didn't wrap the bandages around his abdomen. I was exhausted and wanted to sleep, but as long as the Battousai was asleep I had to keep watch. It was safer that way and I wasn't sure how he was going to react to my surgery so I wanted to be awake for his reaction. I picked up the arrow head and turned it over in my hand.

"You should have had this removed Battousai. It was dangerous to leave it in. And you said I was acting like an ahou." I mused placing another piece of wood in to fire. I stayed awake for another hour before I decided to sleep.

Ahou means idiot.

TBC…


	5. Tempers Flare

Chapter five

_Kenshin's POV _

I woke up slowly with pain lancing through my abdomen. I couldn't remember what had happened. I turned my head toward Saito and saw that he was awake and watching me. He looked annoyed and I couldn't help but smile at him. Saito rolled his eyes and shifted to his left, making him wince. I tried to sit up, but Saito put one hand on my shoulder and bared his teeth at me like a wolf. I looked down at my abdomen and saw bandages wrapped neatly around it.

"What happened, Wolf? What did you do to me?" I asked the pain lessening to a dull throb. Saito let out a mirthless laugh.

""I only removed to arrow you left in your side you ahou. If you had left in a little longer you would have died from an infection." Saito answered rubbing his own wound gently. He reached back into the box and pulled out a bottle. He uncorked the bottle and I smelled alcohol. "Do you want some?"

"No. You shouldn't be drinking either. We need to keep focused." I said watching him take a long drink from the bottle. Saito pointed toward the mouth of the cave and I saw that there was barely any light coming in.

"We are buried in here Battousai. What exactly am I supposed to be focused on?" Saito asked taking another drink of the liquor. I felt a twinge of panic start but I stamped down on it immediately. There was no way I could show weakness in front of the Wolf of Mibu. Saito was staring at me and I looked away from him and into the fire. I reached out toward him and he put the bottle in my hand with a diminutive snort.

"How much food do we have?" I asked answering his question with another just to irritate him. I took a swig of the liquor and stared at him slightly shocked. "Whiskey? Where did you get this?"

"We stole it, obviously." Saito said with a straight face. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. Why, is it not to your liking?"

"Shut up, it was just a question." I muttered darkly before taking another sip of the whiskey. It burned on the way down my throat but it lessened the pain in my abdomen.

_Saito's POV_

I watched the Battousai drink the whiskey and smirked. It was going to be fun to see how the liquor affected him. I held out my hand for the bottle back and he gave it back reluctantly. I took a drink and settled the bottle near the fire so it warmed. The Battousai glanced at the cave mouth again and I saw him shiver somewhat. The feeling of being trapped was starting to get to me as well but I knew that there was another exit somewhere in the back. It was rarely used and it was dangerous because of the narrow trail.

"Battousai, relax. There is another way out of the cave." I said earning a hopeful glance from him and then a death glare. "Neither of us is in any condition to take that exit though. It is a narrow trail and it drops down a little more than fifty feet on the left side. We would both need to be in our best condition to take that path."

"This isn't some joke is it?" He asked shifting to the right and lying down on his uninjured side. I saw his body relax considerably. "You said that there were no towns nearby."

"No joke. The trail leads to another cave farther down the river and it is another fifteen miles to a town. There are a few camps, but you don't want to go to any of them. They'd kill you in a heartbeat." I answered truthfully. I saw no reason to lie to him at this point. I reached for the whiskey and felt the stitches tug and begin to tear. I winced and saw the Battousai's eyes dart to my side.

"Have they torn?" He asked with a glare. I nodded and he sat up slowly before climbing to his feet. He walked over to me and knelt down beside me carefully. He lifted up my shirt and then the bandages. I saw blood dripping from the end of the sword wound and the Battousai glowered at me.

"Are you going to slit my throat?" I asked with a grin. He glared at me and then poked me hard in the wound. My breath caught in my throat and my arm shot out, catching him hard on the jaw. The Battousai fell back and landed on his arm. I heard something crunch and we both groaned. My wounds were bleeding severely now.

_Kenshin's POV_

That BASTARD!!!! I let out a small whimper as I moved my left arm; I knew that it was broken. I lashed out with my foot and caught Saito hard in the side. I felt some of his ribs give way and we were both rolling on the floor in pain. I curled up and felt tears running down my face.

"You bastard!" I managed to say between gasps. I held my arm to my chest and tried to feel how it had broken. It was a clean break as far as I could tell and I looked over at Saito. He was lying on his back, clutching his side and his ribs. Saito moaned and looked back at me. "What in the HELL is wrong with you? Why'd you hit me?"

"It was a reflex." Saito answered his breathing ragged and his face becoming paler by the second. "You broke my ribs."

"You broke my arm." I snapped back sitting up slowly. I automatically felt dizzy and I rested my head in my good hand. Saito sighed and he tried to sit up but he couldn't. I saw the blood starting to pool beneath him and I moved toward him. "Don't move around and DON'T hit me."

Saito gave me a slight nod and let his hand fall to the floor. I removed the bandages and took the medical kit out again. I tried to get the thread in the needle but without my left arm, it was impossible. Saito reached up and took the needle and thread from me. His hands were shaking harshly but he was able to get the thread through the eye of the needle. Saito handed it back to me and I tried to begin the stitches. He grabbed my hand and steadied it. I was able to get the stitches done with help from Saito. He kept my hand steady the entire time. When I cut the thread, Saito's hand dropped and his eyes closed. I saw the bruises starting to form on his chest and I felt for his pulse in his neck, it was weak. I bandaged his wounds the best I could and then I tried to bandage my arm. It was painful and after I finished, I took a long pull of whiskey and lay down beside Saito. I closed my eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep.

TBC…


	6. Injuries and wild emotions

Chapter Six

_Saito's POV_

Every breath I take sends spasms of agony through my body. I open my eyes and let out a small moan. The fire is almost out and there is very little heat coming from it. The Battousai is lying beside me and he looks like he is in a lot of pain as well. I reached over slowly and touched the arm that was not bandaged. He muttered something under his breath but stayed asleep. I let out a sigh and instantly regretted it. I tried to sit up enough to grab some of the firewood, but I could barely raise my head. My movement woke the Battousai, who sat up and sent a death glare my way.

"If you even_ try_ to get up, I will beat you to death with a piece of firewood and drag your carcass outside for the wolves to feed on." He growled throwing some more wood onto the fire, kicking up sparks. I didn't even have the strength to piss him off by asking how he would get me outside when the entrance was blocked. I just lay there, watching his every move. The Battousai held his broken arm close and went to dig in the box, trying to find a sling for his arm. I ran over the list of items in my head and made a note to make sure that all items were packed for the next box that was placed here. There was nothing for major injuries placed in this box.

"There is nothing in there to hold your arm Battousai." I said quietly, watching his frustration grow. He glowered at me and I let out another sigh. He was going to give me the silent treatment, I hate the silent treatment. For some reason, I could give somebody else the silent treatment but I couldn't stand when it was done to me. "You might as well help me sit up so I can make a sling for you. I promise I'll keep better control of my reflexes."

The Battousai ignored me and kept digging in the box. I got one elbow beneath me and tried to push up. He froze and glared at me, he was ready to kill me. I couldn't control the groan that escaped my lips and the Battousai started muttering under his breath. When I continued to move, the Battousai decided to stop the silent treatment and he came over to my side.

"Are you stupid or something Wolf? Lay back down." He snapped grabbing my shoulder and pushing me down. I seized his arm and he came down on top of me. Pain exploded throughout my body and we both whimpered. "You bloody AHOU!!!!"

I groaned and the Battousai sat up. He was sitting just below my sword wound and just above my belt. I caught hold of his free arm and held him still long enough for me to get a hold of his shirt. He stiffened and I ripped the edge of it in two long strips.

"What exactly are you doing?" He snapped holding almost perfectly still as I tightened my grip on his arm. I ignored him and continued to tear his shirt until I was satisfied that I had enough for a sling.

"Making a sling because there isn't one in the box." I said through clenched teeth. My ribs were beginning to ache but I ignored them. The Battousai nodded and he let me get his arm into the sling that I made. I laid my head back when I finished and he moved off of me. I closed my eyes and tried to get my breathing back under control. "If you go look near the back of the cave, you'll find a gap in the back wall. Don't go into it, but make sure that the entrance isn't blocked too badly. We can get out of here that way a little later if you are feeling up to it."

I opened my eyes and saw that the Battousai was standing near the fire glaring at me again. He began muttering under his breath, but grabbed a burning stick and stalked to the back of the cave. I smirked and began the slow process of trying to sit back up.

_Kenshin's POV_

My arm did feel better now that I had some support holding it up, but I was still mad at the Wolf. He was going to kill the both of us by being so damn stubborn. And if he gives me another order, I'm going to kick his ass. I shifted the burning brand so it was higher and slowed down as I reached the back of the cave. I saw a shadow that was deeper than the rest and walked toward it. As I got closer I noticed that there was a slight blockage but it could easily be moved. I walked back over to Saito and tossed the branch back into the fire.

"It's slightly –"I started until I saw that he was sitting up. I snapped. I slapped him upside the head with my good arm. He let out a strangled sound that sounded like a yelp. "Ahou! What did I tell you?"

"That you would beat me to death and drag me outside for the wolves, but you're forgetting that there is no entrance anymore. So I guess you'd have to put up with my bloody corpse if you kill me." Saito said rubbing where I had hit him, which I realized was where I had hit him with my sheath earlier. The bruise was dark purple and it was still swollen. "Was the entrance blocked or not?"

"It was partially blocked, but we should be able to get through." I answered sitting beside him. I groaned as my arm shifted in the sling, the bandage had come loose when I had been exploring the back of the cave. Saito looked at me with predatory eyes making me shiver. "How long will it take for us to get to the next cave?"

"It took a day in good condition. In the shape we are in, I would say about three days." Saito answered staring into my eyes in a show of dominance on his part. I stared back just to annoy him, but after a moment, I couldn't hold his gaze. "You're different from before Battousai."

"What do you mean?" I asked, my breath hitching slightly. I knew this would come up after I didn't tell him why I had saved him from the river and from himself afterwards. I looked down at the fire, not wanting to look into Saito's eyes. Saito reached over and grabbed my chin; forcing me to look at him. I flinched.

_Saito's POV_

There was something off about the Battousai, I could sense it and it was bothering me. I searched his face, but could find nothing. I let him go and he moved away from me. I decided that it wasn't worth fighting with him over, so I let it go. I shifted my left shoulder and it cracked loudly. It sounded louder than it was because it was silent in the cave.

"You aren't the same as before." I said again. "You are quieter and your eyes have changed."

"Leave it be Wolf! It has nothing to do with you." The Battousai snapped, his eyes turning gold almost instantly. I gave him a grin that showed my canines. It irritated him even more.

"Why? You have acted strangely since you saved me from the river. And you still haven't answered my question about why you saved me in the first place?"

"Leave it be damn you!" He yelled standing up suddenly, only to double over when he tore his stitches. I rolled my eyes and reached into the box behind me. "Are you happy now?"

"No, now come over here so I can re-stitch the wound." I said as he put pressure on the wound. He glared at me, but walked over slowly and sat down by me. I gently removed his arm from the sling and balanced it on my leg. Then I opened his shirt to get to the bloody bandages. The Battousai just sat there sullenly as I began to stitch the wound again.

"Saito, just leave it be. I don't want to talk about it and neither of us have the strength to fight each other." He said after a few minutes of silence. I looked up from my work for a moment and caught a faraway look in his eyes. I sighed and poke the wound gently, which snapped him out of it. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?" I asked leaning back to take the pressure off of my ribs. I was beginning to think that sitting up was a bad idea. The Battousai was glaring at me, but I really didn't care.

"What do you think? Poking and prodding my wounds. Why do you keep doing that?" He asked as I finished re-stitching the wound. I replaced the bandages and helped him move his arm back into the sling. "Answer me!"

"Because you're acting like a child, spacing out at the worst times and treating me like I'm nothing more than a worthless house dog with no teeth. You need to stay focused on the present and not look at the past right now. If you don't stay focused, we'll both die here." I snapped my temper finally reaching the boiling point. "I may be wounded, but I will not go down without a fight. I will continue to bring you back to reality because I have no intention of dying outside of a battle."

I shocked myself as well as the Battousai with that sudden explanation; we stared at each other in silence for a few minutes. I rubbed the bridge of my nose and decided that it would be easier if we didn't talk to each other for awhile.

"We should rest if we are going to leave soon." The Battousai said looking back at me. I nodded and closed my eyes. I was too tired to argue with him anymore and I wanted nothing more than to sleep for a week.

TBC…


	7. Fever

Disclaimer: I still don't own the characters.

_Kenshin's POV_

I watched Saito close his eyes and fall asleep, but I just couldn't fall asleep myself. I was still a little shocked at Saito's explanation and I knew that I had been slipping lately. We are enemies, but I think that I am beginning to like Saito as a person; not just as a swordsman. I shifted slightly to the right and felt muscles in my left shoulder tighten up. I would have to start moving my arm again soon to keep the muscles from losing their strength. I reached across Saito and grabbed a piece of firewood. Saito's eyes opened slightly as my sleeve brushed across his chest but they closed again instantly.

I laid back and stared up at the ceiling for awhile. I began to shiver faintly. Even with the fire going, it was becoming colder in the cave. I inched my way closer to Saito, who seemed to have a higher body temperature than most humans did. Saito was perfectly still until I was a few inches from him; then he let out a low growl in his sleep. Saito's eyes opened again and this time they stayed open. He stared at me and then rolled his eyes.

"Cold?" Saito asked watching me shiver with a bored expression on his face. "Why aren't you by the fire? It'll keep you warmer."

"You're warmer than the fire is." I said with a shrug. Saito growled again and tried to sit up. "Don't even try it. We don't have many supplies left and if you start bleeding again, I'll let you die from your own stupidity."

Saito glared at me and I ignored him. I shivered again and moved to sit right next to him. He grabbed my right arm and pushed up my sleeve. His hand was so warm that it burned my skin. I flinched at the contact but then leaned closer to Saito. He ran his hand up my arm and stopped at my shoulder.

"What are you doing?" I asked watching his eyes. His pupils were dilated and his breathing was slow and even. Saito ran his hand back down my arm and then he dropped his hand. "What is wrong with you Wolf?"

_Saito's POV_

I stared at the Battousai and then at the fire. I don't know why I ran my hand up his arm. I shivered and the Battousai laid his hand on my forehead gently. His hand was cool and I leaned towards him.

"You're running a fever Wolf. Stay lying down and I'll get you a cold compress." The Battousai said trying to stand up. He grabbed a rag and went over to the blocked entrance. He grabbed a handful of snow and wrapped it in the rag. He came back and placed it on my forehead. I shivered from the coolness but I didn't try to remove the cloth. I reached up and grabbed Battousai's right wrist.

"Stay here." I said, my vision getting blurry. The Battousai settled beside me and I closed my eyes. He flicked my nose until I opened my eyes again. "Don't do that."

"You need to stay awake Wolf. You may not wake up if you fall asleep." He said turning over the cold compress. "Why don't you tell me about your Gatotsu."

"Why should I?" I asked shivering. "You just want to know my moves better so you can try to beat me."

"You're paranoid Wolf. Just tell me about your damn Gatotsu." The Battousai snapped poking me hard in the forehead. I growled at him and he rolled his eyes.

"Tell me about your Hiten Mitsurgi." I muttered snapping at his finger as it came close again. I missed, making the Battousai chuckle. He sighed and turned the cold compress over again. I shivered at the cold, which made me whimper. Something I would deny if it was _ever_ brought up. "Just talk to me Battousai, it'll keep me awake much better than you poking me every few minutes."

"Wow, the Wolf of Mibu has a soft side…."The Battousai muttered rubbing his left hand gently. I glared at him, which only made him chuckle again. "What do you want me to say?"

"Anything, just stop poking me." I said baring my teeth at the finger that approached my forehead again. I was too tired to really argue with him, but he didn't need to know that. He pulled his finger away and sighed. "Or would it be easier if I asked questions and you answered?"

"It would be easier, but it isn't going to happen. Stop trying to be clever Wolf." He said easing himself back onto the floor so he was laying parallel to me. "Why don't you ever use my name?"

"Because I don't." I answered closing my eyes, only to receive a poke to my temple. "Stop it."

"That wasn't an answer and you need to stay awake." The Battousai said with a look of annoyance. "Answer the question."

I sighed and looked at the fire, it was dying. I made a small motion to the fire and the Battousai got up slowly. He walked over and grabbed a large log. As he slowly moved it towards the fire, I closed my eyes and let my mind drift off.

_Kenshin's POV_

I awkwardly put the log on the fire and turned to face the Wolf. He had fallen asleep. I knelt down and shook his shoulder gently. There was no reaction.

"Damn it Wolf, why couldn't you just do what you were told?

TBC….

Sorry, I know it's been awhile since I've updated. Hopefully the writer's block is completely gone now. Next chapter will be a little different since Saito is unconscious.

Reviews and any suggestions are greatly appreciated.


	8. Nightmare

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, I'm just using them.

This chapter is going to be a little different because it's going to be inside Saito's head at first. Enjoy!

…

_Saito's mind_

Snow crunched beneath the paws of the pitch black wolf; blood dripping down to stain the snow. Torn battle flags, abandoned armor and rotting corpses surrounded him. He had no idea where he was or what had happened to him. A high pitched whine tore itself from the wolf's throat as he heard the keening of the people come to claim their dead. He limped between two bodies, trying to find a way to escape the carnage. The wolf looked around as the people got closer and narrowly avoided the arrow that was aimed at his throat.

"Leave you monster! Get away from here. Find your meal elsewhere you beast." Yelled a woman who threw a rock at him as she fell to her knees next to a young man with a sword slash across his chest. He dodged the rock but fell onto his right side when his front legs collapsed beneath him. He let out another whine as he tried to get his paws beneath him again. The man who had shot at him came forward with another arrow notched. The man loosed the arrow, catching the wolf just beneath his ribs.

He let out a bark of pain and managed to get his paws beneath him. He struggled to stand; churning the bright red snow under his paws. He bared his fangs at the man as the man approached him with a dagger in his hand. The man lunged forward; using his forearm to put pressure on his blood-matted neck. He twisted weakly to bite at the arm, but couldn't get a good grip on the man's arm. He snarled; he wasn't going to go down without a fight.

The man raised his other arm above his head and then looked into the honey gold eyes of the wolf pinned beneath him. The golden eyes were wide with pain and something the man could only describe as fury. The pressure on his neck eased for a moment and he used the rest of his strength to twist his body around and bite the offending limb. His fangs sunk into the man's arm; tearing apart skin, muscle and arteries. The man screamed in agony; dropping the dagger in the bloody snow. He bit down harder before releasing the arm when the man slammed his free fist into the arrow sticking out of his side.

The man scrambled back as the wolf snarled weakly at him. The wolf struggled to stand and stumbled a few steps forward before his legs collapsed beneath him. Another man sat next to the wounded man, trying to stop the bleeding. The man picked up a piece of a banner pole and threw it at the dying wolf. The pole glanced off his left shoulder and fell into the bloody snow. The wolf closed his eyes and let out an unstable breath. He turned his head when he heard the crunch of snow nearby and opened his eyes slightly. The man that stood above him had bright red hair tied up in a warrior's knot. The man knelt down slowly and placed his hand on the wolf's head.

"Rest now Wolf. You've been through a lot. Sleep and come back to me when you are ready." The man said stroking the blood-matted fur. The wolf turned his head, the man's voice sounded so familiar. The man rubbed the wolf's snout and received a small lick in return. The wolf closed his eyes and fell into darkness.

_Kenshin's POV_

I brushed Saito's hair back and he let out a low groan. He was shifting in his sleep and I could see his eyes moving frantically behind his eyelids. I got up slowly to get more snow and flinched when I heard a high-pitched, agonized whine from Saito. I turned to see him clawing at his wounded side; tearing at the bandages. I limped back over and caught his left hand. He clutched my hand tightly and I winced at his strength. Saito's breathing became fast and erratic; he was panicking.

"Calm down Wolf, nobody is going to hurt you." I said in a quiet voice, extracting my hand to rub his brow and down his nose. Saito let out another whine and he shifted under my hand. I ran my hand over his throat and he snarled at me; turning his head and snapping his bared teeth at me. I yanked my hand back just in time. "Easy Saito, I'm not going to hurt you."

I cautiously put my hand over the wound on his side and checked to make sure that it wasn't bleeding again. Thankfully, it wasn't. When I looked up at Saito's face, his eyes were open but unfocused. I put my hand on his brow again and rubbed down his nose slowly. He pushed up into the touch weakly.

"Rest now Wolf. You've been through a lot. Sleep and come back to me when you are ready." I said watching his eyes close again. I rubbed his brow for a few more minutes before slowly closing my eyes as well.

Well, that was fun. A little odd, but I like it. If you have any ideas or see any errors that I missed please tell me.

Reviews are welcome and wanted. =^_^=


	9. Acceptance?

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just using them.

Well, last chapter was interesting. This chapter is going to be back to normal.

Thanks to darkbandit01 for the great advice!

_Kenshin's POV_

Saito shifting woke me. I studied him for awhile, noticing that he looked a lot younger when he was asleep. His entire body seemed more relaxed and I didn't have to contend with his knowing stare. I stared at the fire, remembering his questions. Why had I saved his life back at the river? Why am I still trying to save him? I drew my knees up to my chest and wrapped my right arm around my legs. Saito opened his eyes slightly at my movement but I could tell that he was still unconscious.

"You ask me why I saved you, yet you've saved me too Saito." I whispered feeling the stitches tug when I stretch my legs back out. "We may be fighting on opposite sides of the war Saito but we both fight with everything we are. I think I saved you because, like you, I would rather die in battle with a respected foe than by any other means."

I began to think back to all of the battles that we had fought over the last year alone. There had been many since the first time we had crossed blades. I close my eyes letting the memories flash by.

_Flashback_

_ We were standing no more than fifteen feet apart. Blood dripped from both of our swords, the blood of the men lying dead around us. I was bleeding from two deep cuts but so was Saito. Okita had fought side by side with him until his coughing__1__ had forced him to back away and let Saito fight against me on his own. Saito shifted his stance into the first form of the Gatotsu and I knew he would put all of his strength into this next blow, hoping it would be enough to kill me. I shift my stance to match and wait for the tell- tale tensing of muscle that will begin this dance of death. I don't have to wait for long. Saito lunges forward, covering the distance with ease. Our swords clash once, twice, and then a flash of lightening brightens the sky. _

_ Saito's eyes seem to glow with the energy that the lightening has released into the air. He lunges again and I feel the blade slicing into my left side before I swing my katana down; cutting his right calf from the knee down to his ankle. We break apart, both breathing heavily as the pain from our wounds set it. Saito bares his teeth and lets out a snarl of pain and anger as he attacks yet again. I step back and to the right as his blade pierces the air where I stood moments before._

_ "Too slow Wolf." I said using my god-like speed to go airborne. My katana sliced down, the tip cutting through fabric and skin. Saito went down on his injured leg, aiming a swift kick at me as I landed. I easily dodged the kick and landed one of my own to his ribs. Saito's katana slid from his grasp as he fell to the ground. He was still conscious, but barely. His golden eyes were glazed and his breathing weak. His blood began to pool beneath him, joining the blood of the dead. I kicked him onto his back and put my blade to his throat, making a small cut just below his jaw line. As I went to press the blade deeper, I heard the signal whistle I had been waiting for when the Shinsengumi had interrupted me. I pulled my blade away. "You're lucky Wolf of Mibu. Next time we meet, it will end in your death."_

_ I walked away as the rain began to pour down on the body strewn street, leaving a rival to either survive and get stronger or die._

_End Flashback_

"There have been many times we should have died by each other's blade Saito." I mutter opening my eyes to stare at Saito, only to find myself staring into the wide open, lucid gold eyes of the Wolf of Mibu. I felt my face heat up and I let out an involuntary yelp of surprise.

_Saito's POV_

I had been awake for only a moment when I heard the Battousai speaking. My head ached and felt like it was full of wool, but his words were becoming clearer. I didn't dare to move, knowing that the Battousai would stop talking as soon as he sensed my movement. What he was saying made sense to me and I found myself silently agreeing with the Battousai, which surprised me. The Battousai opened his eyes and when he noticed that I was awake, he let out an amusing yelp. I couldn't help but chuckle weakly at him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked his blush fading slowly. I licked my lips to wet them before answering.

"Sore. I feel like I've been dragged behind a team of horses over a rocky road." I watched the Battousai get up slowly and walk to the snow cover entrance. He grabbed a handful of snow and brought it over to me. The snow was melting fast in his hands and I gratefully licked at the snow; knowing my teeth wouldn't take the cold right now. Nearing the end of the handful, I accidentally licked his hand, which made us both blush like school girls. The image that came to mind made me chuckle again.

"What is so funny?" The Battousai asked going back to the snow wall and grabbing a handful for himself. He sat down beside me and took a mouthful of snow.

"We were trying to kill each other only a few days ago and now we're taking care of each other like an old married couple. That combined with the fact that we're dancing around each other like school children is hilarious to me." I answered truthfully. I was still thinking about what the Battousai had said earlier as well. He raised an eyebrow and gave me a funny look.

"I think you still have a fever and are delusional." He said putting his snow cooled hand on my forehead. I shivered at the cold. Just to see what he'd do, I leaned my head back quickly and licked his wrist before he could move. He jerked his hand away and his face went as bright red as his hair. "Now I'm positive you're delusional."

I couldn't help it, I laughed until my broken ribs protested. The Battousai shook his head. I could tell that he was smiling though and for some odd reason, it delighted me.

"We should both get some rest. I think we'll both be up to starting our journey to the next cave." I said when I finally got my laughing under control. The Battousai nodded and laid down beside me. It didn't take long before we were both asleep.

TBC…

Well, that was fun. I actually did quite a bit of research when I started this chapter. It started out as a search for the spelling of something and ended up with me doing research on Okita Sōji for over 2 hours.

Okita Sōji died of tuberculosis on July 19, 1868. History tells us that he originally contracted it in 1864 either before or after the Ikedaya Affair. He is buried in Edo and his grave is only open to the public to pay their respects 1 day a year.

Most people only last a few weeks to a year after contracting tuberculosis back in this time.


	10. Rage

The usual disclaimer still applies.

A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update everyone. It's been a rough couple of months for my family and I just didn't have the time to write, but I'm back now!

_Saito's POV_

Warmth against my right side woke me slowly. At first I thought that my wound was bleeding again and then I realized that the Battousai was pressed up against me. I opened my eyes and stared down at him, realizing that we had been like this for several hours now. I shifted my arm, which was wrapped around his shoulder; he opened his eyes just slightly.

"Comfortable?" I asked quietly. The Battousai's eyes widened but he didn't pull away like I expected him to do. Instead he shifted his body closer to mine and sighed.

"You're warm Saito and I was cold. It was survival instincts, nothing more." He said closing his eyes again. "And yes, I am comfortable. Though I suppose you want to get up and see _if_ you can walk so we can get out of this cave."

"What do you mean _if_?" My eyes narrowed. "I'm perfectly capable of getting up and walking, you insolent brat."

The Battousai froze next to me for an instant and I knew I had touched a nerve.

_Kenshin's POV_

"What did you just call me?!" I growled sitting up slowly and turning to face Saito. He had an amused look on his face that really irritated me.

"Brat." Saito replied pushing himself up with his elbows gradually. He stopped with a small grunt of pain when his ribs shifted. I glared at him and then stood up.

"I thought you said you could get up, old man." I cocked my head to the right and stared at him for a moment with what I hoped was a thoughtful look on my face. "Or would that be old dog?"

Saito's eyes flashed dangerously and he let out a low growl that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I knew I should not have said it the instant it came out of my mouth. I backed away quickly, but not quick enough. Saito had me pressed against the cave wall within a heartbeat, his left hand clenched around my neck. I grabbed his wrist and tried to pull him off me, but he just tightened his grip. His eyes were no longer looked human; his eyes had gone feral. He growled at me again.

"Let me go Saito." I gasped out, feeling his thumb putting pressure on my left carotid artery. He snarled at me and I knew that the human part of him couldn't hear me, so I did the only thing I could think of, I brought my knee up into his groin. He let go of me with a groan of agony and knelt down, trying to relieve the pain. I slumped against the wall rubbing my throat gently. "I told you to let me go Saito."

I closed my eyes and just listened to the sound of the two of us breathing for a few minutes before glancing down at Saito. I knew that beneath the calm exterior he held on to so tightly was an animalistic rage that could destroy him and me if he ever let go of his control. That small fit of temper he just displayed was enough of a reminder that I needed to keep my wits about me. I slid down the wall and waited for him to open his eyes, hoping that they were back to normal.

_Saito's POV_

Blood red mist covered my eyes and everything seemed to slow to a crawl the moment the Battousai said those last two words. The dark, swirling rage that I was extremely careful to contain slipped free and I was on my feet and at his throat before I could take another breath. I felt him grab my wrist but it was nothing more than an annoyance. I tightened my grip around his slender throat, feeling the blood pulsing through the veins beneath my grip. It was an intoxicating feeling to have him where I finally wanted him; his life fading slowly in my grip.

At the back of my mind I heard his warning, but I was too far gone to let his words take effect. I pushed harder with my thumb, cutting off the supply of blood to his brain. I felt his body shift a second before his knee connected with my groin. I released him with a groan of pain and knelt down. The pain let me gain control of my rage again and I concentrated on the sound of the Battousai's breathing to come back to myself. I opened my eyes when I heard him slide down the wall and looked at him. He was rubbing his neck where I had grabbed him and I could see the bruises starting to form already.

"You back Wolf of Mibu?" He asked his voice rough. I flinched at the way he phrased the question and he raised an eyebrow at that. "Or are you going to attack me again?"

"I give you my word, I won't attack you again." I said my own voice low with embarrassment and regret. I very rarely ever lost control of the rage inside me and to do so in front of my enemy was a blow to my pride. "I apologize for my actions, Battousai."

I nearly laughed at the astounded look on his face. "I _will _deny that I ever said that if you _ever_ bring it up again."

_Kenshin's POV_

Did he just –no he couldn't have… He just apologized to me! I gaped at him and I could see amusement starting to seep into his gold eyes. I could tell that it took a lot for him to say it.

"Apology accepted." I said getting back to my feet. "Do you want help up or can you get up on your own?"

Saito thought about it for a moment before hesitantly reaching up with his left hand. I gripped his hand tightly and slowly pulled him to his feet. He swayed slightly but stayed standing when I let go of his hand. I walked over to the medicine box and rummaged around in it.

"Only take what is necessary, the way through the caves is treacherous at the best of times." Saito said emptying out a supply bag onto the cave floor to decide what would stay and what would come with us. I grabbed the last few rolls of bandages, what was left of the thread and the packet of needles and brought them over to Saito. I then grabbed an empty pan, filled it with snow and brought it over to the fire to melt.

"Is there a flask for water?" I asked when the snow was finally melted. Saito tossed one at my feet and I filled it with water. It only filled it half way so I started over to the wall of snow again. As I brushed snow from the wall into the pan I felt Saito moving towards me and I slid the small blade I had palmed earlier into my hand. I turned to see Saito standing about three feet behind me. "What do you want Saito?"

"Just some snow to wet my mouth with Battousai." Saito answered with a wary look in his eyes. "I gave you my word Battousai, the blade is unnecessary."

I turned back around and froze when his arm brushed mine. I could practically hear his smirk when he knocked snow from above me down onto my head. I shook the snow off but before I could say anything he was back by the supplies. We finished packing what we needed in silence. We each grabbed a burning branch and two more a piece that would make good torches. Saito kicked some of the snow that was on the floor onto the fire and we started for the back of the cave.

TBC…

Reviews craved.


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